3. Dehumanization
When people begin to see others as less than human, empathy fades and cruelty becomes easier to justify. Throughout history, dehumanization has played a central role in atrocities, from wartime propaganda to hate crimes. By stripping away individuality and portraying targets as animals or objects, perpetrators silence their conscience and rationalize their actions. As noted by the American Psychological Association, this mindset makes it alarmingly simple to inflict harm, turning ordinary individuals into agents of brutality.